The NHBC received 58,300 dissatisfaction enquiries
During 2003/4 a total of 171,588 private UK new homes were completed (ODPM2006a). In the same period the NHBC received 58,300 dissatisfaction enquiries and processed 12,000 claims against house builders (Carter 2005). The Office of Fair Trading additionally received a further 3,990 complaints related to housing construction (OFT 2005).

The NHBC paid out £35.1 million in claims to householders in 2004-5, compared to £30 million in the previous year

72.9% of the claims investigated under the NHBCs claims resolution service were found in favour of the homeowner

More than 19,500 builders are on the NHBC register with a further 3069 applying to join during 2004-5...Only 65 builders were removed from the register for disciplinary reasons

The NHBC has just 330 inspectors who carried out almost 1 million inspections in 2004-5, which means that the inspectors have to be very busy chaps averaging nearly 10 inspections per day.

Only 46 per cent of customers say that they would recommend their builder

The NHBC is the dominant organisation representing the interests of over 85% of new house owners in terms of establishing, monitoring and warranting acceptable quality standards for new UK housing. The UK Government commissioned 'Review of Housing Supply' final report stating that ' customer satisfaction levels have fallen since 2000, with only 46 per cent of customers saying that they would recommend their house-builder' (Barker 2004:112).

90 percent of homeowners experience defects/snags. Only 51 percent of these were satisfied with the service provided

The UK Government commissioned 'Review of Housing Supply' final report stating at Recommendation 32.. The House Builders Federation should develop a strategy to increase the proportion of house buyers who would recommend their house builder from 46 percent to at least 75 per cent by 2007. Over the same period, levels of customer satisfaction with service quality should rise from 65 per cent to at least 85 percent. (Barker 2004:112). According to the survey above a staggering 90 percent of homeowners experience defects/snags with only 51 percent of these are satisfied with the service provided in dealing with these problems (Constructing Excellence 2005).

Zurich First Customer Survey results 2004:
Quote; "Nearly 70% of buyers had not had all their snags attended to before they had moved in"

Rather than improving satisfaction levels between 2000 and 2004, repeated surveys indicate at best that general satisfaction levels have remained unchanged and at worst has fallen by between 5 and 10 percent. A 2004 survey by Zurich Insurance, suppliers of a rival new home warranty scheme to the NHBC. (Smith 2004:27) according to the Zurich First Customer Survey results 2004 show 'nearly 70% of buyers had not had all their snags attended to before they had moved in, and more than 60% of customers were less than satisfied with feedback regarding when and how remedial work would be undertaken'.

Why do new homes have so many defects?

In excess of 160,000 new homes were due to be completed in 2006 and most of these will have defects at the time of occupation. The number of defects or 'snags' found in new homes has been steadily increasing each year. In 2005, the average number of defects per home was 62, [N.Craig]. You can expect to find at least 40 problems in a one-bedroom property to well over 130 for a four-bedroom house.

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Brickkickers New Home Inspections is not affiliated in any way with that of 'the brick kicker' franchise
of America. The service we offer is limited to new homes within the United Kingdom.

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